William Herschel discovered NGC 4754 = H I-25 = H II-74 = h1462 on 15 Mar 1784 (sweep 174) and noted "B, S, in a line with two stars. Caroline's reduced position is 18 seconds of RA preceding UGC 8010 and the description nails the identification. The next objects logged are NGC 4754 (again) and NGC 4762 as "Two pB nebula; the preceding [NGC 4754] of them is almost R. The following NGC 4762] vmE; they are not far from the same parallel and about 8 or 10' distant." Hence the two H-designations.

John Herschel made four observations (noting the equivalence of I-25 and II-74) and six observations were made at Birr Castle.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/13/91): bright, fairly small, slightly elongated halo SSW-NNE, 3' diameter. Sharply concentrated with a very bright small round core containing a substellar nucleus. Located in the center of a group of six faint mag 14 stars. A brighter mag 11 star lies 3.1' SW of center. Forms a pretty pair with NGC 4762 11' SE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb